Ex-firefighter guilty of molesting young relative

VENTURA, Calif. (AP) - A former Ventura County firefighter faces up to 22 years in prison for molesting a young relative during an eight-year period ending last September.

Prosecutor Catherine Voelker says 41-year-old Gary Taylor of Newbury Park pleaded guilty on Monday to child molestation, continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14 and a special allegation of continuous sex abuse of a child.

Investigators say the victim was related to Taylor and the crimes were committed between January 2000 and September 2008.

Ventura County Superior Court Judge Edward Brodie will sentence him on May 1.

There are no other details.

County fire spokesman Capt. Ron Oatman says Taylor left the department a few months ago.